Wire-fence machine



(No Model.)

A J. J. DARDEN.

WIRE FENCE MACHINE.

No. 460,565. Patented 001'.. 6, 1891.

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JOHN J. DARDEN, OF GIDDINGS, TEXAS.

WIRE-FENCE MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,565, dated October6, 1891. Application led May 20, 1891. Serial No. 393,426. (No model.)

` in the county of Lee and State of Texas, have invented certain new anduseful .Improvements in Vire-Fence Machines; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full,`

clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theannexed drawings, making a part of this specification, and to theletters of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements inwire-fence machines; and it has for its objects among others to providean improved machine for this purpose which shall be simple, cheap, anddurable, and in which provision is made for the ready removal of thereel or spool and the placing of another upon the axle when desired. Iprovide for the regulation of the tension on the axle, so that theunwinding of the wire from the reel or spool maybe adjusted. I providefor the rewinding of the wire from a fence onto the spool or reel.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear,and the novel features thereof will be specifically defined by theappended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspeciiication, and in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of my improvedmachine. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section on the line .e z ofFig. l. Fig. 3 is a perspective View of one of the reel or spool clampsremoved.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews where they occur.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates theaxle, which may be of any approved form, and B are the wheels, also ofany well known or preferred construction.

O are collars, sleeved on the axle and pro.- vided each with a set-screwc, said collars being designed to be slipped upon the axle and securedthere by the set-screws inside of the hub of the wheel, which latterbears thereagainst, as seen in Fig. 1. D are similar collars sleevedupon the axle outside of the wheels, and these collars are provided eachwith a hole, through which and through coincident holes in the axle passthe springmetal keys ct, as shown in Fig. 1. The wheels are confinedbetween the collars C and D, as seen in Fig. 1.

E are the shafts, connected at their forward ends by the crossbar h, andat a proper distance to the rear there is another cross-bar d, thedistance between the two cross-bars being sufficient to provide room forthe person of the operator, suitable harness or attaching belt F beingprovided for the purpose of securing the same to the body of theoperator. Such contrivance is shown in Fig. 1 by dotted lines. To theunder sides of the shafts at the rear ends thereof are attached themetal bars G, which extend rearward and are provided with curvedportions e to fit the axle, as seen best in Fig. 2, and to the rear endsof these bars or plates are hinged in any suitable manner the plates H,which extend forward beneath the axle, as seen in Fig. 2, and are curvedor formed with cam-surface f, as shown best in Fig. 2, being curvedbetween the ends to receive the axle. Pivoted, as at g, to the shaftsare the yokes or bifurcated arms I, which at their lower ends areconnected by the cross bars or rollers g', which are designed to rideupon the under face of the plates H, and their upper portions are eachpivotally connected with one end of a link J, the other end of which isconnected with the hand-lever K, which is pivoted at 7L to the forwardend of the shafts, and is provided with suitable means to engage anotched segment z' on the shafts for the purpose of holding the parts intheir adj usted positions.

L are clamps, formed with hub portions j, sleeved upon the axle anddesigned to be secured thereto by the set-screws k, as shown in Figs. 1and 3. Each of these clamps has a body portion l, from which extend theradial arms m, the ends of which are turned inward to form theclamping-jaws n, as seen in Figs. 1 and 3.

M is the spool or reel. It is formed with heads to be slipped on theaxle and the ra` dial arms o, which serve to retain the wire thereon.

In practice the operation is as follows: The

IOO

end of the wire N is attached in the desired place and the operatorplaces himself in the harness, facing from the machine or forward, andthen advances, drawing the machine with him, with the hands clasping thehand-levers I( and shafts. The wire unwinds from the spool as themachine advances, and if allowed to run ott too freely it would kink andinterfere with the satisfactory operation of the machine; bntby claspingthe hand-levers the plates H will be pressed against the axle and act asa brake and regulate the unwinding of the wire from the reel or spool.If the wire becomes slack, greater pressure of the plaies upon the axlewill stop its revolving and the wire from running out, when the wire maybe tightened up. To remove the spool or to place it upon the axle allthat is necessary to do is to remove the shafts by pressing the upperends of the yokes I rearward till the rollers at the lower ends disengage the plates Il, when the shafts maybe readily removed. Thenwithdraw the key a at one end oi' the axle, remove the collar D, thenthe wheel, then the collar C, and next the clamp L, when the spool maybe slipped on or oft', as the case may be.

Then it is desired to tear a felice down and respool the wire, an emptyspool is placed upon the axle, and as wire loosely wound, as it will bewhen thus wound, will require more room on the spool than at rst, Iattach in any suitable manner the bars O to the radial arms 0 of thespool to increase the capacity ofthe spool. 'lhcsc bars serve twofunctions:

lirst, to increase the holding capacity of the rcel or spool, and,second, as hand-levers by which the spool may be turned. One end of thewire being attached to the reel or spool the operator fixes himself inthe harness and facing the spool pushes the machine in that direction,and as the machine moves along the wire will be wound upon the reel orspool, as will be readily understood.

The device is simple, cheap, efficient, and durable, and the adjustmentof the clamps provides for the accommodation of reels or spools ofdilterent lengths.

l. The combination, with the axle and spool, of the shafts, the platessecured thereto and having curved portions to receive the axle, theplates hinged to said plates and having canrsurfaces, and the yokespivoted to the shat ts and having cross portions working over saidcam-surfaces, as set forth. 2, The combination, with the axle, of theremovable shafts, the plates secured thereto and having at their rearends hinged plates with cam-surfaces, the pivoted yokes having crossportions acting on the cam-surfaces, the pivoted hand-lever, and thelink connecting the lever and yoke, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence oi' two witnesses.

.IOllN J. DARDEN. ,llitnesses:

.T. ll. Bownns, J. E. GREEN.

